Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-09
Hore anca There,


Here and There.
David Nicholson, n convict, who had
been sent to Sing Sing (N. W prison for
life about twenty years igo,Wa discharged
from that institution on Tuesday. His
sentence had been commuted TO imprson-
ment for thirty years, and this he had re-
duced by good behavior, his record as
convict being exceptionally good. lie bad
with him when he came out $500 from the
State and 800 from the Prison Association,
Alta station on the Ninth Avenue New
York; Elevated road Is gateman with
history. He is large, tall, and OF somewha'
distinguished appearance. Some years ago
he had horses, carriages, a bank account,
was great "spOrt," with decided fond.
ness for cards. ] remember his losing
81 GOO ore night on the turn OF a single
card. To-day he pumps down the pink
"Trip slips Of the plssengare" with a
stoidity wonderful to behold for the ma-
niticent sum Of Sl.T5 day.
Captain Paul Boyton has written from
Chicago to say that his projected exhibition
tour through Mexico Will probably e
abandoned because OF the stupid joke
practiced upon him by the friends OF Pix
Captain thinks that the bogus advertisement
alleging that be wanted to hire 1000 men
accustomed 20 the use OF firearms for SER
vice in Mexico has so preiudiced the Next
can public mind that he must give up his
trip. The financial injury caused by the
hoax will amount to many hundreds OF
dollars.
Two remarkable specimens OF defOrmed
fish, saws Nature, were taken from rear
ing pond at DelfOrd aad brought ID the
South Kensington Aquarium. One Is a
trout about three years old, whose tail is
bent TO such an extreme that it stands AZ
right angles with the body OF the fish. lis
mode Of progress Is labor6d and its appear.
ance is very peculiar. The other specimen
is an ordinary sticklcback, measuring
four inches in length, whose body is
swollen through drOpsv to the extent OF
one inch in diameter. At first sight It's APP
pearance Is similar to a young mouse, and
II requires close inspection TO grasp the
fact that 1t is fish. It moves very slowly,
with great expenditure OF force, the weight
OF the eontorted body being considerable.
In very cold and in very hot climates
there are certain dog races that never bark,
fact already referred TO by Captain Cook
in the account OF his voyages. In Asia
there is a species OF dogs called COlSuns,
which never bark. 1t is TO be found
chiefly in the Deccan, in the mountains OF
NilgiT. aud in the woodlands on the coast
Of Coromandel. Also among the birds, by
poets so often styled "the singers OF the
forest" there are many kinds which, are
also mute. Two varieties Of sparrowS-
the tangarai Of Brazil. and the senegal at
the Senegal-are said never to emit sound.
and I'm Australia there are larks quite
similar to those Of our own country, but
which never sing.
The Royalist journal de Paris reports
that the Crown Prince OF Germany lately
told the COmte de Paris: ~ do not share
Bismarck's views rs to the necessity OF
preserving the French republic. This
would mean preserving an oil stain which
might extend over the whole OF Europe.
1t would give me great satisfaction 10 see
YOU on the throne, for this would be 4
pledge Of peace between Germany and
France" This weighty utterance il being
yaliou.ly commented upon by the P4r,s
papers, not one, however, expressing q
doubt as to the authenticity OF the conyer-
saiion, which, according to the Berlin pa
pers, is without shadow OF foundation.
The Presidents message contains 1G,2j)
words. II required four operators at the
Western Union office in Pittsburgh Just
three hours and half TO receive the mes
sage, making about l,200 words an hour
TIE same operators boti received aud
wrote out on manifold paper at the same
time their respective takes OF the mes
sage. The document was received in Pitts
burgh over the New York circuit, and from
there repeated to Cincinnati, and from that
point it was distributed to other points West.
From Washington the message was first
sent to New York, and thence to all points
North and West. Within the last year the
Associated Press office OF Pittsburgh has
| accomplished a feat in telegraphy unequal
led by any other office in the United States.
Two operators, f. b. Williams and Harry
Orr, received daily for one month $4,000
words OF press dispatches without once
opening the keys during each day.
Nlcolardot believes that the song OF bird,
may be regarded Us the original fount OF
all music, and according 10 his view each
musical instrument was originally OulY de.
yised 10 initiate the voice OF some bird.
Bringing to bear a considerable knowledge
OF natural history, and perhaps au equal
amount OF charming fancy, he traces the
whole orchestra OF to-day back 30 the voices
OF birds. lie demonstrates that for every
lnstrument-the clarinet, the flute, the
oboe, the trombone. the trumpet, and all
the Test-a bird may be named that bears
the fundamental tone OF such Instrument
in IFS tn (, aud which has been copied by
man in making Of the instrument. To
the nigh IL yale he assigns in this bird or.
chestra q part Of the organ, and even the
rafting thl eastanets he would trace TO
the pecu olse made by some birds OF
prey witt .ieir bill.
The notorious Burmese daeoit Chief BO.
| Shwe, who has given the British troops SO
much trouble, has been professional da
| colt for f0rty-four years. He began hi.
career OF robbery and insurrection when
| only fifteen, but for some years combined
| his profitable pursuit with employment as
| a district official under the British admin.
istratiOn on the old frontier line. This was
no extraordinary. case, as dacOity has
| long been considered by the Bur-
| mese as necessary evil. Every District
| Governor. so says a correspondent OF the
| Times Of India, maintained his especial
band OF daeoits to protect his particular de-
partment from neighboting thieves. These
bands were recruited from the criminal
| cIassss, as each convicted offender In Bur.
mese becomes a slave by law, and II he falls
| to the lot Of ouy INSCRIPTIONS owner Is
generally sent 10 Join the dac0its on c0udi.
tiou thai he shares bis profits with his mas.
| ter. BO Shwe himself has a following Of
about 5000. under several lieu.enants. Is I
1 ahrexVd loader and Il KENT we'll iuforgnad
| OF Rriish movements. The dacoits, b.
the way. have q curious habit Of posting Z
notice m The Villages giving the date q